tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post1159820422628584912..comments2016-12-09T10:15:23.686-05:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: SATURDAY, Feb. 9, 2008 - Shannon Burns (GRAIN SORGHUM WITH STOUT, LEAFY STALKS)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59708228650270541472008-03-23T23:25:00.000-04:002008-03-23T23:25:00.000-04:00OK... I have only 4 & 1/2 fingers on my right hand...OK... I have only 4 & 1/2 fingers on my right hand, does that cut me some slack?? lmaoMe Againnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39748231137710674142008-03-23T23:16:00.000-04:002008-03-23T23:16:00.000-04:00Anonymous 4:30 and Wendy.I like to think of this b...Anonymous 4:30 and Wendy.<BR/><BR/>I like to think of this blog as a welcome respite from political correctness. <BR/><BR/>I really enjoyed this puzzle, and was pleased to finish it after a long struggle in Oregon/Washington:(three or four cups, spread over the day)<BR/><BR/>I had confidently entered REALITY in 1A, and then crossed it with YESNO at 7D, and LEX at 4D. Eventually, I came to distrust my confidence. <BR/><BR/>I have a couple of quibbles:<BR/><BR/>Lets see....west to east; Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, Atlantic, and then, half an hour earlier, (or later, depending on your point of view), Newfoundland/Labrador. That adds up to 5 to me.........oops, just counted on my fingers...... never mind.... Um ......well....ONE quibble: :)<BR/><BR/>I have built a lot of ROADBED in my life, and a tiny bit, (maybe 500 meters) of railbed. A railbed is definitely a ROADBED, but a ROADBED is not necessarily a railbed, and wouldn't have ties, as implied by the clue. <BR/><BR/>I suppose, if you really want to get pedantic, the surveyor ties the roadbed to features found about, such as the legal Right-Of-Way and such, and these ties are called......well, ties, but I would think this intent wouldn't make it over the esoterica dam, (or under the esoterica bar) for the NYT puzzle.<BR/><BR/>PERU sent me to Wikipedia to investigate it being a member of the Axis in WWII. I learned that The War of the Pacific took place at the end of the 18th Century and resulted in Peru losing a couple of provinces, (and a lot of birdshit) to Chile, and Bolivia loaing it's access to tidewater as well. <BR/><BR/>I had WWII on the brain probably because of Mt. Suribachi on IWO JIMA, a gimme for me because I have attacked it on many occasions with a virtual SBD dive bomber in the virtual world of the Combat Flight Simulator, IL-2.WWPierrenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-91499787643740818582008-03-22T22:39:00.000-04:002008-03-22T22:39:00.000-04:00mush is schmultz not schmaltzmush is schmultz not schmaltzHank Sherrardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03077870863426800812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41476289442255392372008-03-22T13:32:00.000-04:002008-03-22T13:32:00.000-04:00There is a theme after all!Men!2D: Aquaman12D: Wir...There is a theme after all!<BR/><BR/>Men!<BR/><BR/>2D: Aquaman<BR/><BR/>12D: Wireman<BR/><BR/>39D: Thinman<BR/><BR/>43D: Ideaman<BR/><BR/>Also I thought KAFIR was a derogitory South African term used by Apartheid supporters in describing an African-American.<BR/><BR/>Normally directed at black south africans, it can also be used to address blacks all over the world. <BR/><BR/>Danny Glover was called a kafir several times in Lethal Weapon Two and on one occasion was instructed not to be a 'smart' kafir.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34923417206558668962008-03-22T13:22:00.000-04:002008-03-22T13:22:00.000-04:001D: Latin American capitalIt should have been writ...1D: Latin American capital<BR/><BR/>It should have been written like this,<BR/><BR/>1D: Latin American capital or home to the NHL team The Sharks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55961758195375041152008-02-11T22:57:00.000-05:002008-02-11T22:57:00.000-05:00Proud to have finished this one without a mistake....Proud to have finished this one without a mistake. Some good educated guesses. Now if I could only finish the NW of the Friday puzzle. But it's Monday night now, I think it's time to admit defeat and peak at Friday's blog.Dougnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67097835757505885522008-02-10T13:30:00.000-05:002008-02-10T13:30:00.000-05:00In the Simpsons calendar I used to own, I assure y...In the Simpsons calendar I used to own, I assure you that SMARCH did not come at the end of the year, after December, but rather some time in Winting/Sprinter. It is the thirteenth month, it's just not thirteenth (out of 13) in the sequence.<BR/><BR/>rpRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69706417752790793942008-02-10T12:40:00.000-05:002008-02-10T12:40:00.000-05:00Gustave DORE is a famous 19th century illustrator,...Gustave DORE is a famous 19th century illustrator, not 17th century. (That was Milton, of course.)<BR/><BR/>I presume PATER is short for PATER NOSTER ("Our Father" in Latin).<BR/><BR/>A lineman normally works outdoors.william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17534553034963830212008-02-10T11:21:00.000-05:002008-02-10T11:21:00.000-05:00This puzzle was really hard for me- just couldn't ...This puzzle was really hard for me- just couldn't wrap myself around any of the words, had to fight for each square. Lots of unusual words like KAFIR, NULLITY, BED STAND and even SCHMALTZ. Finally did finish it, though, after several hours' work- whew- but did miss the T in EGALITE (I had an S). Oh well. <BR/><BR/>@ Fergus- right on!<BR/><BR/>Fave clue: [8D. Post codes?] That clue VEXED me forever but when I got it, I chuckled.<BR/>ONE GAME wonder? I don't think so.<BR/><BR/>Oh, how does PATERS relate to PRAYERS? Is that a type of prayer? Do PATERS people who pray?doc johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-88977424858572246872008-02-10T03:08:00.000-05:002008-02-10T03:08:00.000-05:00yes, I wondered too if having ATOMANT , AQUAMAN, W...yes, I wondered too if having ATOMANT , AQUAMAN, WIREMAN all in the same puzzle started off to have superheroes as a theme, the constructor realized you can't repeat a word...but you CAN if it's a "non-themed" Saturday, I guess.<BR/><BR/>Maybe I'm annoyed just bec I couldn't finish the puzzle having also felt it was a no-no to have AQUAMAN and AQUARIA (crossing no less!) again the same word/word root...but maybe that's just water under the bridge?andrea carla michaelswww.acmenaming.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-1286007377845948312008-02-10T01:06:00.000-05:002008-02-10T01:06:00.000-05:00Forgot that there was another G in GIGANTISM, so h...Forgot that there was another G in GIGANTISM, so had a major stall there. Oscar Wilde would surely have some fine quip for the hair-trigger sensitivities some folks have about perceived offenses. I'm much more concerned about reasonable good taste than pussyfooting around the possibility that somebody might find some discriminatory intent in some aspect of usage. Often these go hand in hand, but when they do diverge I don't take offense, I just feel sorry for the poor fool who embarrassed himself with crass language. (Not referring to anything stated here; simply a hypothetical situation concerning political correctness.)<BR/><BR/>Nothing like the flash and sizzle of Friday's puzzle but a solid test nonetheless, especially while driving and having someone else read out the Clues.<BR/><BR/>Agree on the dubiousness of WIREMAN, ROADBED and ONE-GAME wonder CLUES. ETIQUETTE was so good though; that was compensation enough. Another confusion point on DERIDES was the BERATES that I sat with for a while. Interesting to see Glut as a verb.<BR/><BR/>Anyone else remember the 60s TV commercial with the signature line, "Aw, this is a mushy show, let's watch something else."?Fergushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77218376383186023942008-02-09T22:16:00.000-05:002008-02-09T22:16:00.000-05:00For the record, the "growing problem?" ads are abo...For the record, the "growing problem?" ads are about prostate enlargement. Since it's not breakfast time anymore, I felt I could say that now.<BR/><BR/>rpRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57653989835790925282008-02-09T21:11:00.000-05:002008-02-09T21:11:00.000-05:00Omigod, I included more pictures in a post than Re...Omigod, I included more pictures in a post than Rex? That's a first!<BR/><BR/>I wanted HAL, too, computer or no. If you don't know the plot of Asimov's "Cal," check it out. Cal the robot wants to be a writer! And he's eeevil.<BR/><BR/>Rex, your GIGANTISM entry (<I>entry!</I>) was not cryptic at all. I await the clue's reuse for PRIAPISM.<BR/><BR/>Forget WIREMAN—I want to hear about the superpowers of the IDEAMEN. Do they wear spandex and capes?Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39998284141602905982008-02-09T20:55:00.000-05:002008-02-09T20:55:00.000-05:00I did yesterday's puzzle this afternoon and aced i...I did yesterday's puzzle this afternoon and aced it with no problem except blank at AJA/JERI cross. So how badly frustrated was I when doing today's tonight and messing up in several places? Very...<BR/><BR/>Seems I knew the ones hard for others, but not the so-called "gimmes" like SKA, JAE, AQUAMAN AND ATOM ANT.<BR/><BR/>Worse, I got stubborn for too long over misinterprations: wanted TAXED rather than PRIED for "asked too much" (as in TAXED my patience). Was thinking RUSSIA for "covers six time zones, instead of CANADA. Silly goose... (How many does the U.S. have including Hawaii?)<BR/><BR/>It isn't a pun to define a medical condition, GIGANTISM, as a "growing problem" unless one takes it that way, because a puzzle is not a social context. Being older, I was not happy with the discussion a while ago of WATTLES, but so be it.<BR/><BR/>I do agree that making fun of an unfortunate condition in a social context is abhorrent: I'll never forget one bride's brother giving a toast for her wedding dinner in a spastic persona the entire painful way through. Definitely not entertaining!<BR/><BR/>Very good puzzle -- I'm just sorry I didn't do as well as yesterday! <BR/><BR/>∑;)ArtLvrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41252389551500738742008-02-09T20:54:00.000-05:002008-02-09T20:54:00.000-05:00I hear ya, green mantis. It's not cut and dried, c...I hear ya, green mantis. It's not cut and dried, certainly. I guess one barometer for the constructor would be to try to imagine how your solver would feel if he or she were obese, just as an example, and had to fill in that answer for the particular clue. Or if you were a little person and you had to fill in 'dwarf'. Again, these are just two that crop up a lot. <BR/><BR/>Would your solver feel bad? Could he have a sense of humor about it? I don't know what the answer is, I just think that it should be part and parcel of determining whether something passes the breakfast table test, for lack of a better term. I mean, does Acne really need to be an answer - ever?wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899889818724088564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72923803189341620252008-02-09T20:44:00.000-05:002008-02-09T20:44:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899889818724088564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-56443218841856323442008-02-09T20:29:00.000-05:002008-02-09T20:29:00.000-05:00Re 60A (Jim): Can't see how Jim would be called a...Re 60A (Jim): Can't see how Jim would be called a "hero" in "The Gift of the Magi". I guess you could say that both characters were living heroically in a sense, given their poverty, but the real hero of the story was love, because it was love that brought happiness in the end. <BR/><BR/>Now talk among yourselves. I'm all verklempt.Jim in NYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76811092557192354822008-02-09T19:46:00.000-05:002008-02-09T19:46:00.000-05:00I don't know how I feel about the unfortunate cond...I don't know how I feel about the unfortunate conditions/puzzle sensitivity issue. I mean, where do you draw the line? How many times, for instance, have we seen punny clues for acne, a problem which causes serious grief for scads of people?green mantisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59522304338141310192008-02-09T19:01:00.000-05:002008-02-09T19:01:00.000-05:00This was not so difficult (for me) for a Saturday....This was not so difficult (for me) for a Saturday. I was lucky that my very first answer was Dubuque, which I certainly wouldn't have known before moving to Iowa many years ago. Iwo Jima was a surprise because I kept searching for places in Japan. I echo others in wondering why warrant=empower.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04700426644898924644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13806229873659015872008-02-09T18:54:00.000-05:002008-02-09T18:54:00.000-05:00@mac -- nice to know I wasn't alone. I find it dif...@mac -- nice to know I wasn't alone. I find it difficult to extricate myself from a situation where I have multiple reasonable answers coupled with one that I know isn't really correct. It's hard to just erase everything and start the section over.jaenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37841614240249632432008-02-09T17:44:00.000-05:002008-02-09T17:44:00.000-05:00I had "Atom Ant" right away. "Aquaman" not far beh...I had "Atom Ant" right away. "Aquaman" not far behind. The rest of the puzzle, yecch. And Brooklyn's in three weeks? Geez.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13454782108761662940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-14614541593135247042008-02-09T17:42:00.000-05:002008-02-09T17:42:00.000-05:00...It was apt. Apt!I was just thinking about that ......It was apt. Apt!<BR/><BR/>I was just thinking about that joke earlier today, and lo and behold, someone else was too. What are the odds?<BR/><BR/>marvelous! <BR/><BR/>(But no "up and Atom?")Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82516687967345102162008-02-09T16:47:00.000-05:002008-02-09T16:47:00.000-05:00anonymous 4:30 - you raise an interesting point, o...anonymous 4:30 - you raise an interesting point, one that I've brought up before. The puzzle has a penchant for cluing states of physiological being (Obese, Dwarf, to name two others I can readily think of) seemingly without regard for people's possible suffering with regard to those conditions and in some cases, I would argue, not considering more appropriate terminology. Putting these terms in the context of a pun takes it a further step beyond propriety.wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899889818724088564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-24031143381571207082008-02-09T16:30:00.000-05:002008-02-09T16:30:00.000-05:00Gigantism is not a good word for a crossword grid....Gigantism is not a good word for a crossword grid. To clue it as a pun is even more distasteful. I know a person with this problem and all the medical operations and hardships he has undergone. There's a time and place for humor...this was not one of them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21774827742149475402008-02-09T15:37:00.000-05:002008-02-09T15:37:00.000-05:00As a Canadian, I was pleased to see CANADA, as wel...As a Canadian, I was pleased to see CANADA, as well as the province of ONTario, where I grew up. My daughter has a friend attending Waterloo University.<BR/><BR/>That's what I love about reading the comments on Rex's blog. Gimmes for some are torture for others.<BR/><BR/>I liked COLD COMFORT and BITING SARCASM. Sounds like the weather right now: cold and biting.Catherine Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03397942491057116387noreply@blogger.com